Davos patiently explained it to him, “Which one is better, forcing them to work while getting beaten or them doing it voluntarily?”
“The latter, of course.”
“What's more, I don't want them to be slaves, but to be a citizen of Andolara. Only in this way can we continue to strengthen our strength! And if you think about it, one day, when the indigenous people of Lucania trembled with fear under the threat of our spears, saw so soldiers in our ranks who had the sa appearance and spoke the sa language as them, but wore Greek armor, ate Greek food, and talked freely with the Greeks, what would they think?”
Asistes thought for a while and said feeling unsure, “They might surrender?”
“That's right, Bagul and the others will be the examples of the Lucanians, and make them know that they will not be abused but will live a good life if they surrender to us. Think about how the Persians treats foreigners, and we will do it better than them, because we will treat the foreigners as equals, accept them more leniently and let them enjoy the sa rights as us. Only in this way can we eliminate the estrangent between them and us, and quickly make Andolara stronger!…” Said Davos earnestly and passionately. In this era, he did not want to be a lone traveler, as he wants to spread his political ideas to the people around him, infect them and change the narrow thinking of the Greek city-states.
Asistes then said with admiration, “My lord, you think so far ahead!”
“Asi, I heard that you haven't pick a wife this ti. Are you interested in choosing a Lucanian woman as your wife? If so, I will ask Bagul if he has any sister, and you can beco his relative.” Said Davos jokingly.
Asistes imdiately rembered the terrifying appearance of Bagul and shook his head.
“Joking aside, if you do marry a Lucanian woman. Then one day once we have conquered Lucania, I might appoint you as the satrap(governor) of Lucania.” Said Davos half-jokingly.
Satrap?! Asistes thought of the majestic appearance of Tissaphernes, the Persian Satrap of Asia Minor, and as a young man, he was really moved. However, he didn't think much about how throughout the diterranean region, the position of satrap has only existed in the Persian Empire, and the satrap was appointed only by the king of Persia…
Watching the back of the departing Asistes, Davos was still thinking whether it is necessary to set up a low-level public office under the archon -clerk, so that the work of Asistes can be justified, and Davos use this chance to also train a group of like-minded young n and beco his assistant in governing the city in the future.
Davos was still thinking about it, when Cheiristoya ca in and told him, “Olivos is here.”
Davos wondered what this guy wanted coming so late at night.
Olivos' voice could even be heard before he even ca in, “My lord, your house is so big! I would've lost if there was no one to guide …oh, this marble statue is really good, which master has created this masterpiece? Looking at the outline of these muscles…” Olivos started a long, rambling conversation.
Davos looked at him and said, “I will drive you out of here if you don't say what you ca here for!”
“No! No! I really have sothing to ask for your help!” Said Olivos hurriedly, “Archon, you must help with this matter!” He begged.
“What's the matter?!” Davos, who seed to be impatient, had beco more interested in Olivos' problem.
Olivos suddenly beca bashful, and mumbled, “I…I want you…to…help propose marriage to Mariji.”
“What? To propose a marriage?” Davos didn't hear it clearly.
Olivos took a deep breath and then exclaid, “I have fallen in love with the daughter of Mariji, Mitra. I want you to help propose our marriage to Mariji!”
Davos finally understood, ‘It turns out that the jokes that they made these few days are true! When did this guy fell in love with Mariji's daughter?’
Davos couldn't rember what Mariji's daughter looked like, as he only rember that she was a petite and shy girl.
“You like her, but does she like you?” Davos must clear this matter first.
“Of course, she is willing to be with !” Olivos said confidently.
“Does Mariji know about it?” Asked Davos again.
“He doesn't know. However, Mitra's mother is very much in favor of our relationship, but she can't make the decision.”
It is natural that she couldn't be the one to make the decision. In this era, both Greeks and Persians are dominated by n. Davos' won't even consider it, even if he put aside Olivos' licentious past, but since that incident happened, he had changed a lot. Instead of taking won by force, he would even dissuade others from doing it. On one hand, Olivos is his savior, while on the other hand, Mariji is the talent that he could even regard as his own arm. So Davos is happy to see their combination, “I'll go and propose it to Mariji. I will try my best to get you both together, but it will depend on your performance.” As soon as he finished speaking, Olivos jumped up happily, “Great! Wonderful! Davos, you really are a good man!” Olivos gave Davos a big hug,
Davos was dumbfounded as he look at Olivos who was singing and dancing out of the courtyard. He was actually given the good person card.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
In the next morning, the new citizens that are still single had protested in front of the council, demanding a solution to their problems of lacking won to marry and offered a suggestions that they could even accept marrying a Lucanian won.
The council then held an ergency eting to discuss this matter. In the continuous protest outside of the court, the council elders headed by the archon, Davos, had no choice but to pass a resolution* and agreed to allow the new citizens to marry a Lucanian won who were once the enemy of Andolara. (Davos and the new citizen elders were all acting)
At the sa ti, the council had also passed another resolution: To turn all the captives Lucanians into the slaves of the city-state, and they will work for free until the day they died. However, no Andolaran shall harm these slaves, for they are the wealth of the city.
After that, Davos put forward another bill.
Cornelius was unconsciously tense when he saw that Davos would propose another bill, because the things that he repeatedly proposed will destroy the tradition of Andolara and made Cornelius slightly depressed. However, this proposal was relatively normal.
Prior to their attack on the Lucanian alliance, Davos had promised the slaves to set them free once they won.
After wiping out the Lucanian alliance, Thurii had brought back the more than a thousand slaves that they had lent to Davos, as well as his request to grant them freedom, as their promised before the war. The remaining 300 slaves, who were looted and collected by the rcenaries throughout their journey in Persia, and had accompanied them through countless battles and tribulations. According to Davos, these slaves is their own people, and as a result, more than 20 elders unanimously approved the proposal of Davos.
However, another proposal of Davos caused controversy that will allow the slaves who had beco freeman to freely leave or apply to beco citizens of Andolara.
Stromboli was the first to stand up and expressed his strong opposition, “There has never been such a precedent in Andolara to allow the slaves to beco a citizen of the city-state! If you do this, then Andolara will be the laughing stock in Magna Graecia!” His words were approved by the several original citizen elders.
At this ti, Antonios stood up and retorted, “Please note that after we passed the previous bill, they are no longer slaves, but freen. And every city-state has a precedence of accepting freen as citizens, this is specially true for Andolara, who had accepted us outsiders with magnanimity, and made us citizens of Andolara, which also includes a Persian! Why couldn't we be magnanimous with these freen! And we are already currently discussing the 《Immigration Act》 that was proposed by Lord Davos. Isn't it just right that these forr slaves, who are now freen, and have contributed and sacrificed for the sake of Andolara, are the first to benefit of this bill!”
The new citizens agreed one after another, while the original citizens were tongue tied.
Amintas stood up and told them the story of his life when he was saved by a slave during the battle in Persia. At last, he said it out loud, “They are not slaves, but our brothers! So we should return this favor!”
Herpus had also briefly described how the slaves in the dical camp helped the physicians to rescue the wounded day and night.
Then, rsis also exaggerated how his slaves could quickly calculate money, distribute goods and supplies without any error, so as to provide the best guarantee for the success of the rcenaries, and is proud to claim that they are the best managers!
Although there were only 21 people in the eting place, the atmosphere gradually turned heated, and there was no need for Davos to speak. The proposal was passed, and after discussing it, the resolution is as follow: After the application for citizenship is confird, they will have a 2-years probation period. During this ti, they will have to learn to speak Greek and be familiar with the laws of the city of Andolara. They also must not have any records of violating the laws, and when the 2-years probation period is over, they will pay 200 drachmas to the city-state to beco a prepatory citizen. When there is a major campaign in Andolara, they can voluntarily participate, which will shorten their probation period according to their achievents.
At that ti, the elders did not realize that the passage of this law, together with the previous 《Davos' Immigration Act》, will have a profound impact on the later diterranean Greek history. The example of Mariji and the 300 slaves becoming Greek citizens had later beca an important precedent on the acceptance of freen and slaves in the city-states under the rule of Davos.
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